Mary Frances (nee Keane) Rizzo

Mary Frances (nee Keane) Rizzo 12/27/1932 – 05/06/2025 Beloved wife of the late P. Russell Rizzo; devoted and loving mother of Joe (Valerie) Rizzo, Anne (Craig) Hering, Holly (Mike) McGinnis and Shari (Joe) Vitro; proud and loving grandma to Christian (Danielle) Clark, Russell (Casey) Rizzo, Jocelyn (Sean) Herbert, Colin (Chris) Page McGinnis, Emily (Barrett) Crowder, Connor (Natalie) Prims McGinnis, Joey Hering and Lizzy (Steven) Riley; and great grandmother to Isla, Audrey, Eliza, Topher Aaron, Lilly and Liam. Also survived by many nephews and nieces that she cherished. Mary was originally born and raised in Tonawanda, NY. After marrying Russ in 1959, she moved to North Tonawanda where she spent most of her life. She devoted herself entirely to her faith, family and friends. She was very involved in volunteering at church and in her children’s and grandchildren’s schools and extracurricular activities. As their family grew, both she and Russ willingly opened their home to their children’s many friends. Mary enjoyed getting to know them and was like a second mom to many. Mary truly treasured time with her immediate and extended family. She loved decorating for every holiday and hosting gatherings. Family time was everything to her. She frequently shared these happy memories as she aged and eventually became the matriarch of the family. Mary will always be known to family and friends alike for her delicious and much requested apple pie and cheesecake. She was always being complimented on her beautiful complexion and pretty red fingernails. Her hobbies included sewing, ceramics, gardening, reading and Pinochle. She also enjoyed making puzzles and playing board games with her grandchildren. As a lifelong resident of western New York, Mary was an avid Bills fan. She diligently recorded the final scores for each game and could often be heard saying, “Go Bills, Go!”. A Committal Service will be held at Mount Olivet Cemetery on May 17, 2025 at 10am. Those who wish to attend are asked to assemble at the cemetery office where everyone will then proceed to the Chapel together. In lieu of flowers, Mass offerings are graciously accepted or donations in Mary’s memory may be made to the Bright Focus Foundation for macular degeneration research at https://donate.brightfocus.org/bff/donate

Mary Frances (nee Keane) Rizzo

December 27, 1932 - May 6, 2025